Plants! They're Just Like Us!

I have a tiny SF apartment as do most inhabitants of this lovely city. I don’t have a lot of space but that doesn’t stop me from perpetually trying to improve its aesthetic. Interior decorating is not a strong suit of mine but repeatedly trying things that I’m bad at is. My place has seen many a failed Pinterest DIY attempts that ended with my craft budget in the hole more than the cost of the original ready made item. 

Minimalism was the next trend I wanted to try and make work for me. I threw out bags and bags of clothes. Got rid of things that had somehow made it through the end of high school and college with me. It’s hard and a process, but necessary when trying to open up a small area.  Having a small space limits you in certain ways, like sacrificing the opportunity to cohabitate with a dog. I’m allergic to cats so they aren’t an option.  And birds, for me, are not the word. 

I plan to get a small dog eventually, when I’m ready to be home at the exact same time everyday to walk it. But until then I still wanted a way to add life to my space. The easy and clearly long overlooked (by me) solution?  Plants! My mother was a plant lover. I never saw the point in them as a child. They’re outside, do you need to have them inside too? More honestly, the few attempts I made at horticulture ended in plants that died or contracted mold almost immediately. I kind of forgot they were a thing. It wasn’t until scrolling Instagram did they reappear in the forefront of my mind. I fell in love with the look of numerous plants strategically clustered in front of windows or unused fireplaces or hanging from the ceiling. Subtle succulent posts kept popping up on my explore page and I knew I had a place to start. Succulents are used to harsh environments, they don’t kill easy and they need very little maintenance. Exactly the level of domestic commitment I was willing to take on at that moment. That Sunday I strolled through the Civic Center Farmers Market carefully eyeing each booth that offered greenery. The largest stall at the end of the market had the best finds. Succulents galore priced at 3 for $5. I went ham. At that point I had convinced myself I could quickly obtain a green thumb and picked up an additional 5 larger house plants. 

First, a long held office favorite, the Peace Lilly caught my eye. It doesn’t need much light and holds water well.This plant also acts as an air purifier. It’s a bastardized version of my actual favorite flower the Calla Lilly. This plant has held steadfast so far, I can’t tell if it’s flourishing but it’s definitely not dying. It does however release a bit of pollen but it fortunately wasn’t enough to set off an allergic reaction. 

I also picked up a Spider Plant that day, aka St.Bernard's lily, aka Spider Ivy. Another plant that’s known to survive with little assistance as it’s originated in the dry lands of South Africa and can thrive in a wide range of conditions. 

Next I grabbed a Rubber Plant, also referred to as rubber fig or rubber tree.  It’s in the fig family though I have no idea how since it will not be bearing fruit.  It needs medium to high light and is supposed to be a super fast grower.

I have a few other plants that I have yet to identify like the fuzzy leafed beauty that could possibly be a very large succulent. Since I got these at the farmers market the presentation isn’t exactly what you’d find in a traditional brick and mortar but the prices more than make up for it. I walked out of there with way more plants than I could gracefully hold and spent far less then I would have on two or three plants at say Home Depot. 

The new additions have completely brightened up the little corner I put them in. Tending to them and making sure they get enough light has been a sweet reminder to make more of an effort to tend to myself and also soak up more sun. I can truly feel them living in the space with me and it’s oddly comforting.